New
Delhi: With the unveiling of eco-friendly three-wheelers
powered by non-polluting hydrogen on Wednesday, India
will soon have 'no pollution' vehicles running on roads.
Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy, Farooq Abdullah,
drove a hydrogen-run trial-based auto ushering in an era
where vehicles running on the road with the renewable
and non-polluting fuel will be a common sight. The vehicles
were showcased on the sidelines of the first day of the
three-day World Hydrogen Technologies Convention being
held at India Habitat Centre here. These three wheelers
powered by hydrogen fuel will run on the speed of 50-70
kilometres per hour and can ply in sub-zero temperature
up to minus 30 degree Celsius. About 20 scientists and
engineers worked for seven years to develop these vehicles.
"Today we are working at experimental and research level
so the prices are high. The world over, the research is
going on how to reduce the cost of production of hydrogen
yet reduce the carbon footprint of production of hydrogen.
I'm very sure the cost will become comparable in next
5 to 10," said Anand Kumar, Director, R&D, Indian Oil
Corporation. Kumar added that to make hydrogen fuel easily
available and affordable for commercial purpose, government
should subsidise it. India hopes that one million hydrogen
fuelled vehicles, mostly two and three wheelers will ply
on the road by 2020. The three wheelers have been developed
by automobile makers Sonalika Group in cooperation with
Banaras Hindu University. A vehicle run on fossil fuel
can be changed into the hydrogen one by using hydrogen
conversion kits.-August
26, 2009